Teri Garr
Teri Ann Garr (December 11, 1944 - October 29, 2024) was an American actress, dancer and singer. She frequently appeared in comedic roles throughout her career, which spanned four decades and includes over 140 credits in film and television. Her accolades include one Academy Award nomination, a BAFTA Award nomination, and one National Board of Review Award. Born in Lakewood, Ohio, Garr was raised in North Hollywood. She was the third child of a comedic-actor father and a studio costumer mother. In her youth, Garr trained in ballet and other forms of dance. She began her career as a teenager with small roles in television and film in the early 1960s, including appearances as a dancer in six Elvis Presley musicals. After spending two years attending college, Garr left Los Angeles and studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York City. Her self-described "big break" as an actress was landing a role in the Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth," after which she said, "I finally started to get real acting work." Garr had a supporting role in Francis Ford Coppola's thriller "The Conversation" (1974) before having her film breakthrough as Inga in "Young Frankenstein" (1974). In 1977, she was cast in a high-profile role in Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Garr continued to appear in various high-profile roles throughout the 1980s, including supporting parts in the comedies "Tootsie" (1982), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Sandra Lester, and then appearing opposite Michael Keaton the next year in "Mr. Mom" (1983). She reunited with Coppola the same year, appearing in his musical "One from the Heart" (1982), followed by a supporting part in Martin Scorsese's black comedy "After Hours" (1985). Her quick banter led to Garr being a regular guest on "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson and "Late Night with David Letterman." In the 1990s, she appeared in two films by Robert Altman: "The Player" (1992) and "Prêt-à-Porter" (1994), followed by supporting roles in "Michael" (1996) and "Ghost World" (2001). She also appeared on television as Phoebe Abbott in three episodes of the sitcom "Friends" (1997–98). In 2002, Garr announced that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the symptoms of which had negatively affected her ability to perform beginning in the 1990s. After years of declining health, she passed away on October 29, 2024.
Known For
Credits
- 2018 · Mel Brooks: Unwrapped as Self (archive footage)
- 2014 · And the Oscar Goes To... as Self (archive footage)
- 2013 · Mel Brooks: Make a Noise as Self (archive footage)
- 2008 · A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie' as Self
- 2007 · Kabluey as Suze
- 2007 · Expired as Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde
- 2006 · Unaccompanied Minors as Aunt Judy / Valerie’s Sister
- 2006 · Legends as Inga (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2005 · A Taste Of Jupiter as
- 2005 · Aloha Scooby-Doo! as Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
- 2005 · The Wiki-Tiki Tail of Aloha Scooby-Doo as Herself
- 2004 · The Tony Danza Show as Self
- 2004 · The Dream Studio as self
- 2002 · Life with Bonnie as Mrs. Abigail Portinbody
- 2002 · What's New, Scooby-Doo? as Sandy Gordon (voice)
- 2002 · Searching for Debra Winger as Self
- 2002 · Life Without Dick as Madame Hugonaut
- 2001 · Ghost World as Maxine (uncredited)
- 2001 · The Sky is Falling as Mona Hall
- 2001 · The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' as Self
- 2001 · The Wandering Soul Murders as Tess Malone
- 2000 · Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker as Mary McGinnis (voice)
- 2000 · Strong Medicine as Mimi Stark
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Minerva Grahame-Bishop
- 1999 · Dick as Helen Lorenzo
- 1999 · Half a Dozen Babies as Lee Dilley
- 1999 · Kill the Man as Mrs. Livingston
- 1999 · Batman Beyond as Mary McGinnis (voice)
- 1999 · Batman Beyond: The Movie as Mary McGinnis (voice)
- 1998 · Felicity as Dr. Zwick
- 1998 · Casper Meets Wendy as Fanny
- 1997 · The Weird Al Show as
- 1997 · A Simple Wish as Rena
- 1997 · The Definite Maybe as Dionne Waters
- 1997 · Changing Habits as Connie
- 1997 · NightScream as Julie Ordwell
- 1997 · Ronnie and Julie as Elizabeth Monroe
- 1997 · Murder Live! as JoAnn McGrath
- 1997 · King of the Hill as Laney (voice)
- 1996 · Michael as Judge Esther Newberg
- 1996 · Sabrina, the Teenage Witch as Yenta
- 1996 · Men Behaving Badly as Carol
- 1996 · The Rosie O'Donnell Show as Self - Guest
- 1996 · Double Jeopardy as Cindy Dubroski
- 1996 · Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein as Inga (archive footage)
- 1995 · Shining Time Station: One of the Family as Sister Conductor
- 1995 · Perfect Alibi as Laney Tolbert
- 1995 · Women of the House as Sissy Emerson
- 1994 · Prêt-à-Porter as Louise Hamilton
- 1994 · Dumb and Dumber as Helen Swanson
- 1994 · Friends as Phoebe Sr.
- 1994 · ER as Celinda Randlett
- 1994 · Aliens for Breakfast as Mrs. Bickerstaff
- 1993 · Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert as Brita Burrows
- 1993 · Intimate Portrait as Self
- 1993 · Frasier as Nancy (voice)
- 1993 · Good Advice as Paige Turner
- 1992 · Mom and Dad Save the World as Marge Nelson
- 1992 · Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View as Susan Woolley
- 1992 · The Player as Teri Garr
- 1992 · Adventures in Wonderland as Duchess
- 1992 · Robert Altman's Players as Self
- 1991 · Stranger in the Family as Randi Thompson
- 1991 · Good & Evil as
- 1991 · The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic as Self
- 1990 · A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder as Marsha Pegler
- 1990 · Dream On as Sandra McCadden
- 1990 · Waiting for the Light as Kay
- 1990 · Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme as Jill (of Jack and Jill)
- 1990 · Short Time as Carolyn Simpson
- 1989 · Let It Ride as Pam
- 1989 · Tales from the Crypt as Irene Paloma
- 1989 · Out Cold as Sunny
- 1988 · Full Moon in Blue Water as Louise
- 1988 · Jackie Gleason: The Great One as Self
- 1988 · Flapjack Floozie as Helen Eagles
- 1987 · Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim as Self
- 1987 · Pack of Lies as Helen Schaefer
- 1986 · Fresno as Talon Kensington
- 1986 · Miracles as Jean
- 1986 · Intimate Strangers as Sally Bierston
- 1985 · After Hours as Julie
- 1985 · The History of White People in America as Self
- 1985 · Night of 100 Stars II as Self
- 1984 · Firstborn as Wendy
- 1984 · Steve Martin: Homage to Steve as Self
- 1984 · To Catch a King as Hannah Winter
- 1983 · The Winter of Our Discontent as Mary Hawley
- 1983 · Mr. Mom as Caroline
- 1983 · The Black Stallion Returns as Alec Ramsay's Mother
- 1983 · Do It Debbie's Way as Self
- 1983 · The Sting II as Veronica
- 1982 · Tootsie as Sandy Lester
- 1982 · Faerie Tale Theatre as Self
- 1982 · Faerie Tale Theatre as Princess
- 1982 · The Tale of the Frog Prince as Princess
- 1982 · The Escape Artist as Arlene
- 1982 · Wogan as Self
- 1982 · One from the Heart as Frannie
- 1982 · Prime Suspect as Amy McCleary
- 1981 · Honky Tonk Freeway as Ericka
- 1981 · Rendez-Vous Video Magazine as Self (segment "Coppola")
- 1981 · Inside the Coppola Personality as Self
- 1980 · Witches' Brew as Margaret Lightman
- 1980 · Doctor Franken as Kelli Fisher
- 1979 · The Black Stallion as Alec's Mother
- 1979 · Mr. Mike's Mondo Video as Self
- 1979 · Java Junkie as Waitress
- 1977 · Close Encounters of the Third Kind as Ronnie Neary
- 1977 · Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary as Self
- 1977 · Once Upon a Brothers Grimm as Frog Princess
- 1977 · Oh, God! as Bobbie Landers
- 1977 · The Absent-Minded Waiter as Susan Cates
- 1977 · Bitte umblättern as Self
- 1976 · Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood as Fluffy Peters
- 1976 · Law and Order as Rita Wasinski
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
- 1974 · Young Frankenstein as Inga
- 1974 · The Conversation as Amy Fredericks
- 1973 · The Girl with Something Extra as Amber
- 1973 · The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self
- 1972 · M*A*S*H as Lt. Suzanne Marquette
- 1971 · The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour as Wife/Singer
- 1971 · Summertree as Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited)
- 1970 · The Odd Couple as Insurance Agent
- 1970 · The Moonshine War as Young Wife
- 1970 · McCloud as Sgt. Phyllis Norton
- 1970 · You Haven't Changed a Bit as Corinne
- 1969 · Changes as Waitress
- 1968 · Head as Testy True
- 1968 · Mayberry R.F.D. as Cashier
- 1968 · Maryjane as Teri
- 1967 · Clambake as Dancer (uncredited)
- 1967 · The Mothers-in-Law as Usherette
- 1967 · The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk as Susie
- 1967 · The Cool Ones as Whiz Girl
- 1966 · For Pete's Sake as
- 1966 · Star Trek as Roberta Lincoln
- 1966 · That Girl as
- 1966 · Where's the Bus? as Girl
- 1965 · Red Line 7000 as Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
- 1965 · John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! as Harem Girl (uncredited)
- 1964 · The T.A.M.I. Show as Self - Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
- 1964 · Roustabout as Carnival Dancer (uncredited)
- 1964 · Pajama Party as Pajama Girl
- 1964 · Shindig! as Self - Dancer
- 1964 · What a Way to Go! as Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited)
- 1964 · Kissin' Cousins as Hillbilly Dancer (uncredited)
- 1964 · Viva Las Vegas as Dancer (uncredited)
- 1963 · Fun in Acapulco as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
- 1963 · A Swingin' Affair as
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1960 · The Andy Griffith Show as Girl In A Red Convertible